


Still (Alternate ending)

by Hey_Angel1989



Category: One Direction (Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:54:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24340894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hey_Angel1989/pseuds/Hey_Angel1989
Summary: Alternate ending to Still, please read through Chapter 8 or this will make no sense.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

“Do you want to talk about what happened next?” the producer asked.

Zayn bit his lip and looked down, picking at a hangnail. He sighed, knowing he’d have to answer the question whether he wanted to or not. Not the one the producer was asking, but the one he knew the fans were thinking by now...

The truth is, Zayn didn’t know it was going to happen like that. If he did, if he had even an inkling of an idea that he would...well...well Zayn would’ve taken his words back. He would’ve taken them all back, run after him and told him he was sorry. Sorry for hurting him, sorry for hurting his friends, sorry for breaking the thing he loved more than anything in the world, more than the band, more than the music, more than his own life. 

It was about two years after Eleanor and Louis got married that it’d happened. Zayn hadn’t spoken to them much, honestly the fact that it was almost their 15 year anniversary since the formation was stressing him out. He knew he’d have to participate this year.

His lackadaisical response to the 2020 reunion was brought with a lot of anger, not just from the boys themselves but from the fans. But he wasn’t ready yet, at least not at that time.

He’d ignored all the calls from Liam and Niall, begging the boy to just...be a part of it, but they knew, just like Zayn himself that unless they—meaning Harry and Louis apologized, he wanted no part.

But we all knew that’d never happen.

So...reluctantly, he sat in a conference room waiting patiently for his former friends to appear.

Liam was the first to enter, then Niall, then Harry and lastly Louis. They sat silently, waiting to see who would start.

“So what’s the plan Payno?” Louis started, his eyes glued on the table, fidgeting with a pen left from a prior meeting.  
The room itself was warm, uncomfortably warm, but you wouldn’t have known by the cold mood in the room. None of them were making eye contact. 

“Well I was thinking maybe we do a re-release? Maybe put out some unreleased tracks? Louis got a ton of songs we never recorded we could put something out for the fans as a surprise.” Liam suggested to the room of awkward silence.

Harry cleared his throat, “Doesn’t that seem a bit...I don’t know like we’re,” he paused, looking up at the others. “Like we’re leading them on?”

Louis scrunched his nose, “Why would you say that?” he asked. “I mean we’re on a break, it wouldn’t be that hard to-”

“We’re not on a break anymore Louis,” Harry sighed, rubbing his face.

“Hiatus, whatever,” he retorted.

Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes, leaning back in his seat. Zayn smiled to himself quickly, looks like he wasn’t the bad guy anymore. Niall spoke up next, turning his attention to the older boy.

“What do you think Zayn? Would you um...be apart of that?” 

Zayn shrugged, “I don’t really care to be honest,” he said quietly.

Louis scoffed, “Off course you don’t” to which Zayn replied asking what he meant.

He sat up in his chair, leaning forward. The other boys sighed, knowing where this was headed.

“Well you haven’t really given a shit about much have you?” 

“Oh fuck off Louis”

“I mean you didn’t give a shit about us huh? Not enough at least to say a proper goodbye. Remind me again why you're here?” He spat and turned to Liam. “Why did you even invite him?”

Liam went to speak but Zayn jumped back in.  
“I’m here because without my fucking voice your talentless ass can’t sell records,” he growled. “How’d the reunion tour go eh? How many people were calling for me to be there?”

“Fuck you”

“Shut the fuck up Zayn,” Harry interjected, getting defensive.

“Oh no I’ll keep going thank you very much, admit it Louis, you know deep down it’s true,” he spat.

“Fuck...you” the other responded, his voice getting shaky as he stood up.

Zayn rose from his seat, leaning forward and sneering, “You know if it was you that’d left, no one would’ve-”

“Shut it! Both of you!” Liam growled, looking at both of them. “Jesus christ you’re like fucking children. Now either sit down, or fucking leave, I don’t care anymore.”

Zayn and Louis stood there, chests still rising and falling fast from the adrenaline. Zayn shook his head, and looked towards Liam. 

“Do whatever the fuck you want,” he snapped. “I’m done. Stop calling me.”

He pushed his chair forcefully in and left. Louis was still standing, distraught but...holding himself together.

“What he said isn’t true Lou-” Niall said calmly. Louis just nodded and slowly sat back down, leaving the room filled with silence again.

Harry however, was not fine with that. Abruptly, he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the other boys confused.

Harry walked quickly to the parking garage, hoping he didn’t miss his opportunity, and as the elevator doors opened up, he saw his target.

He made a beeline straight for Zayn who was walking towards his car. He pushed him from behind causing Zayn to go into defense mode.

“What the fuck?” he growled at the younger boy, pushing him back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you Zayn? Why can’t you stop being so fucking shitty?” Harry pushed again. 

“What are you talking about? He started it!” 

“No. No you did 10 fucking years ago”

“Oh fuck you, get over it Harry. Move..on.”

The two were shoving eachother pretty forcefully now, pacing around in a circle, almost waiting to see who would throw the first blow.

“Oh believe me I have” Harry spat. “You know what’s so funny about what you said up there? Is the fact that none of us even liked you. You think you’re so fucking special, but in reality? You were replaceable. Easily.” 

“Fuck you” Zayn snapped, spitting at Harry before turning around and continuing to walk towards his car.

But that wasn’t enough for Harry, no. He grabbed Zayn by the shoulder, pulling him back to face him before punching him directly in the nose.

He stood there for a minute as Zayn clenched his face and blood poured from his nose. Zayn just stood in shock and in pain.

“Good riddance” Harry spat before walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

“That was the last time we spoke.” he said softly to the producer.

The pain, the anger, the blood rushing down his face, he could still feel it to this day. It didn’t matter how many times he tried to get it out of his mind, all he could see was that brown haired boy cutting him out of his life for good.

It happened three months after that fight. Zayn received the call while he was at the studio. It was Liam that had broken the news. Shocked, he gathered his things and made his way to the hospital.

They were all there, huddled around a bed that had a badly bruised boy in it. Wires were attached to him, helping him breathe, helping him stay alive.

He waited outside the room, not sure if he was even allowed in. Would Harry even want him there? It didn’t matter because Niall saw him first and walked over to the door, opening it quietly, letting him into the room. 

Liam turned as Zayn walked in, giving him a side hug and rubbing his back. Louis was in a chair next to the bed, holding Harry’s hand. The position he was in made it look like he was praying, but he wasn’t moving. 

Zayn just stood in the back, unaware of what to do, what to say. All he felt was...guilt. He sat by the window for a bit, watching as Louis, Liam and Niall took turns talking to Harry. Louis was the quietest with his time. He’d just sit there, holding Harry’s hand and playing with his hair.

The next week was like that. Every day the four of them would come in, spend a few hours talking to Harry, except Zayn. Zayn would show up early, sit by the window and just...just sit.

He didn’t know if it was the guilt or the fear. Maybe he was worried that if Harry realized he was there that he’d...give up. So instead he just sat there, talking to himself and occasionally talking with one of the boys as they entered the room.

Louis still would barely look at him, Zayn didn’t blame him.

It was only after Niall suggested they let Zayn be in the documentary that he spoke a word, and even that was just an “okay yeah..that’s fine.”

Liam reassured Zayn that it was more of his fear of losing Harry than his hate for him. Zayn didn’t believe him, but he nodded in agreement and went along with the project.

He felt like it was the least he could do and...and maybe he thought. Maybe he could fix what he broke, with all of them.


	3. Chapter 3

He sat there silently as the producer shuffled through his papers, looking for the rest of his questions. 

As he zoned off into his own world, a knock was heard on the door. He looked up as the producer went to answer and saw Niall rush in.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” he apologized. “But you gotta come quick Zayn.” He grabbed Zayn’s hand and pulled him off the staircase, dragging him out of the room and into his car before he raced off.

As they approached the building, Niall hopped out his car and Zayn followed quickly after. They approached the room, Liam waiting by the edge of the door, his hand covering his mouth. Louis stood beside him in shock as the nurses surrounded Harry.

Niall and Zayn slowly entered the room, confused as to what was going on until they heard a noise come from Harry. It sounded like he was in pain but...but he was awake. Nurses quickly tended to him, giving him drugs to numb the pain as his eyes slowly blinked open. 

They stood there, shocked. 

“hey” he croaked out, a small smile forming on his face.

They all rushed over, gently holding his hand, giving him kisses on the forehead, telling him how happy they were that Harry was alive. Zayn was quiet as he stood beside Liam, not knowing if Harry even wanted him there.

Thats when he turned, slowly he might add. Harry looked directly at Zayn, lifting his weak arm out. Zayn gently grabbed his hand, giving it a light squeeze.

“I’m sorry” they both said, almost simultaneously.

Zayn looked confused. “Why are you sorry?”

Harry sighed. “I said a lot of hurtful things and I…”

“They were warranted,” Zayn cut him off.

“But they weren’t, at least not the early ones. Not..not when you left and I just want you to know I regret every word.”

Zayn nodded, “I take it all back too,” he whispered and sniffled, his emotions getting the best of him. 

Harry smiled, squeezing Zayn’s hand, “Once I get out of this bed you can give me a good punch in the nose,” he winked, letting a laugh out before coughing a bit and wincing.

“We should probably let you rest yeah?” Liam said softly, giving Harry a kiss on his forehead. “We’ll be back in a few hours alright?”

Harry nodded, before his tired eyes lulled him to sleep.

Niall and Liam went to bring around their cars, leaving Louis and Zayn waiting by the front of the hospital. They were both exhausted, mentally and emotionally. Louis let out a sigh, one filled with relief as he put his hands in his pockets, looking up towards the sky.

Zayn looked at him, knowing that if he didn’t do this now, he’d never get another chance.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hm?” Louis looked back at Zayn.

“Would you um..you wanna go grab a beer?” He asked cautiously. “My treat.”

Louis smiled gently.

“Yeah..yeah I’d like that.”


End file.
